We made it close because...

[T-RO]

Because you can't let up in this league. The Patriots keep slinging it with 3 touchdown leads and so should we.

More quarterbacks are going to throw for 3800+ yards than ever before. Teams in the NOW-NFL score prolifically in the 4th quarter and no one more so than the Saints.

When the fan base and the local media give up on trying to pressure Red into trying to run out the clock with the running game---the faster we'll see success.

Notice how we clinched the game: the pass to Miles and the pass to Philips. If we are running the ball on those downs---we would have lost.

Run the ball and weep.

Oh...In Tonight's big win:
Romo Passing Plays...9.2 yards per play
Romo Scrambling Plays from the Pass...5.3 yards per play
The running game (removing Romo's scrambles)...3.875 yards per play

 

[links18]

Damned if you lose, damned if you win. Damned if you pass, damned if you run.

 

[RainMan]

I actually didn't think we let up at all. I thought we actually had a rather brilliant mix of run and pass throughout the second half. You not only want to put more points on the board but milk a little clock in doing so.

I have that drive where Roy dropped the third-down pass squarely in mind where the play call was perfect, no matter the execution. I'm all for being critical of Garrett, but he was money tonight as a play caller.

Oh, and if your post isn't Garrett-centric ... well, yes, I generally agree. This is undoubtedly a passing league.

 

[ScipioCowboy]

I actually didn't think we let up at all. I thought we actually had a rather brilliant mix of run and pass throughout the second half. You not only want to put more points on the board but milk a little clock in doing so.

I have that drive where Roy dropped the third-down pass squarely in mind where the play call was perfect, no matter the execution. I'm all for being critical of Garrett, but he was money tonight as a play caller.

Oh, and if your post isn't Garrett-centric ... well, yes, I generally agree. This is undoubtedly a passing league.

The Cowboys are almost unstoppable in their two tight end formation, especially off the play action.

 

[Yoshimitsu]

I thought the defense got pretty soft when we got the big lead. One thing that gave the saints hope was the Roy Williams drop.

 

[Temo]

I agree with you about not taking your foot off the pedal. People can criticize Belichick all they want for "running up the score", but I'd do the same thing. 60 minutes. No matter what.

That said, I thought the offense was going full throttle the whole time. The defense was the one that kinda broke down there.

 

[Future]

Also the Saints offense finally clicked. We couldn't expect to hold them to three the entire game.

 

[links18]

I agree with you about not taking your foot off the pedal. People can criticize Belichick all they want for "running up the score", but I'd do the same thing. 60 minutes. No matter what.

That said, I thought the offense was going full throttle the whole time. The defense was the one that kinda broke down there.

The Saints back-up TE was their MVP tonight. He beat Carpenter pretty consistently in that 4th quarter.

 

[Temo]

The Saints back-up TE was their MVP tonight. He beat Carpenter pretty consistently in that 4th quarter.

Yea Carpenter was awful.

 

[Eskimo]

I agree with you about not taking your foot off the pedal. People can criticize Belichick all they want for "running up the score", but I'd do the same thing. 60 minutes. No matter what.

That said, I thought the offense was going full throttle the whole time. The defense was the one that kinda broke down there.

I think the playcalling got much more conservative in the 4th quarter on the offensive side.

On the defense, when they spread us out and turned up the pace, I think they caught us off-guard and took another possession before we regained our bearings on them.

 

[Yoshimitsu]

Yea Carpenter was awful.

All of the Middle linebackers in coverage were awful.

 

[Future]

All of the Middle linebackers in coverage were awful.

as usual

 

[NextGenBoys]

Also the Saints offense finally clicked. We couldn't expect to hold them to three the entire game.

No joke.

It's the freaking Saints. Like I said in the game thread, the Saints ARE going to get rolling every game, but the offense has to answer. And they did eating up clock for what should have been a game preserving FG.

 

[InmanRoshi]

We were sitting on a huge lead on the road against the most explosive offense in the NFL, it was absolutely right to start shortening the game up and keep Brees off the field (running down the clock is probably what saved us the game ... if NO has another 2-3 minutes or a timeout in their pocket there is no question they probably score on that last drive)

It was close because you don't hold the Saints offense to 3 points an entire game (especially in NO), Roy Williams dropped a critical 3rd down conversion, our kicker is utterly worthless at the moment, Romo wisely checked down to Witten on a 3rd and 11 instead of trying to force something down the field into coverage and committing a turnover.

It's pretty dumb of fans to constantly criticize Romo for trying to force things and not knowing when to take care of the ball and manage turnovers and then complain that "We R Playing Teh Conservativez !!!"

 

[RainMan]

We were sitting on a huge lead on the road, it was absolutely right to start shortening the game up ... especially when you are keeping the most explosive offense in the NFL off the field.

It was close because you don't hold the Saints offense to 3 points an entire game (especially in NO), Roy Williams dropped a critical 3rd down conversion, our kicker is utterly worthless at the moment, Romo wisely checked down to Witten on a 3rd and 11 instead of trying to force something down the field into coverage and committing a turnover.

It's pretty dumb of fans to constantly criticize Romo for trying to force things and not knowing when to take care of the ball and manage turnovers and then complain that "We R Playing Teh Conservativez !!!"

Bingo, my man.

 

[Temo]

All of the Middle linebackers in coverage were awful.

Yea, but Carpenter's main job is to come in on obvious passing situations and be the 3rd down cover LB. In fact, aside from the odd blitz every couple weeks or so, that's his ONLY job.

 

[Eskimo]

Yea, but Carpenter's main job is to come in on obvious passing situations and be the 3rd down cover LB. In fact, aside from the odd blitz every couple weeks or so, that's his ONLY job.

Carpenter tries hard but it is mighty tough to cover some of the athletic TEs that run all the way across the field like they were doing with Thomas all night. Carp isn't slow but that is a tough assignment for any LB.

Hopefully Jason Williams will be ready next year to play some in the base defense and be the cover LB in the nickel.

 

[links18]

We were sitting on a huge lead on the road against the most explosive offense in the NFL, it was absolutely right to start shortening the game up and keep Brees off the field (running down the clock is probably what saved us the game ... if NO has another 2-3 minutes or a timeout in their pocket there is no question they probably score on that last drive)

It was close because you don't hold the Saints offense to 3 points an entire game (especially in NO), Roy Williams dropped a critical 3rd down conversion, our kicker is utterly worthless at the moment, Romo wisely checked down to Witten on a 3rd and 11 instead of trying to force something down the field into coverage and committing a turnover.

It's pretty dumb of fans to constantly criticize Romo for trying to force things and not knowing when to take care of the ball and manage turnovers and then complain that "We R Playing Teh Conservativez !!!"

Seemed like Witten went to the ground a little early on that play, but maybe he slipped.

 

[Temo]

Carpenter tries hard but it is mighty tough to cover some of the athletic TEs that run all the way across the field like they were doing with Thomas all night. Carp isn't slow but that is a tough assignment for any LB.

Hopefully Jason Williams will be ready next year to play some in the base defense and be the cover LB in the nickel.

Most of those passes that he let up were caught short of first downs, but he wasn't in position to make the tackle and gave up a ton of YAC. Burnett was better than Carp at that, IMO.

We're one of the worst teams in the league vs. TEs and RBs, and while Carp isn't the whole reason why (safety play has a role in this as well), he's a major reason for it.

 

[Temo]

Seemed like Witten went to the ground a little early on that play, but maybe he slipped.

I think he may have misjudged how far he had to go for the 1D and dove too early. Not sure either though.